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September 2008

September 30, 2008

Whimsy Cottage is celebrating 3 years in business -Join us for the party and sale!!Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 410 am - 5 pm

All fabrics currently $4/yd will be $3/yd (1-yd. min.)ANDAll fabrics currently 40% off will be 50% off (1-yd. min.)ANDthe entire rest of the store will be 25% off -that includes books, patterns, notions, fabric and fats!!ANDSelect samples will be for saleANDfrom 2 - 4 on Saturday there'll be a demo of the Cut-Around tool-grab a cookie, chat with Judy and check out her quilts

September 23, 2008

I've forgotten to post a picture of the fabulous drunkard's path quilt we'll be demo-ing during our birthday sale. We have kits, too! My buddy, Judy Steenblik, loves the Cut-a-Round tool and used it to make this for us - she'll be bringing a second sample, too. Come visit with her and try cutting circles and arcs from 2:00 - 4:00, Saturday, October 4, during our BIRTHDAY SALE!!

September 16, 2008

A couple years ago, I made a quilt for my friend in Wyoming - I designed it and made it from my stash - and I gave it to him last year for Christmas, after hanging it in the store and selling patterns first! Without telling me, he entered it in the Yellowstone Quilt Fair in Cody, WY this past week-end. I didn't even want to begin to hope it would win anything, but, on the other hand, if it didn't, would he think it was a crummy quilt? It won first prize in the large quilt division and judge's choice! And I got two checks! Had I known money was involved, I would've sent 10 or 20 entries. Next year.

As noted on our website, we're starting a new program! I'm doing this because, as a shop owner, I am supposed to come up with ideas for getting customers into the store on a regular basis, not just when they think of us, have a free hour, need fabric, etc. So I tweaked a program I used years ago, found a book I loved, chose two color ways, and started sewing. I actually did the sewing while I was in Wyoming waiting to see if I'd won a ribbon. Here's what I came up with as a first block:

Here's the program: I'm calling it FABULOUS FIRST FRIDAY. Sign up by buying the book we'll use - it's $28.95 + tax and choosing which colorway you want. Then, come to the store any time on the First Friday (or First Saturday) of each month, beginning in November (7th and 8th) to pick up your free kit for that month's block. And, we'll be open until 7:00 pm those Fridays. That's it. I'll include a little cheat sheet each month, pointing out which block from the book we'll be doing and things to watch out for while constructing it. Samples are at the store...come sign-up!

One more thing:

Birthday Sale October 3 & 4!!

I'll post details as the time gets closer, but you know I do good sales!

September 06, 2008

For 25 years, I've spent some part of each summer on Chebeague Island in Maine. Sadly, I didn't get to go the last two years, so made it a priority to get there this year. We have an island car, a '78 VW bus, that had been parked in the lot where I got off the boat when I arrived. We've had this car a long time - I know it well - and I couldn't find it. There were only 10 cars in the lot. After dragging my bags around for a minute or two, I realized there WAS a VW bus there, looked inside and saw it was mine. My family painted it two years ago and I hadn't remembered that. Here's what she looks like now. She used to be brown.While I was there, I saw old friends, sat on the deck and read and sewed while listenting to books on tape. I got through about 5 books! Three years ago, my friend Lois and I shared polka dot fabrics to make a fabulous quilt by piece 'o cake - about 500 of them - which I stored in a giant shopping bag. So I packed a suitcase with them (and paid United Airline $25 each way for it) and set up an assembly line in my kitchen. Right now I'm appliqueing the borders, but here's a sampling of what I got done in Maine.And, lest you feel sorry for me because I had to work on my vacation (yes, I get to call quilting my job), here's the view from my deck and kitchen - it's an amazing place.

September 02, 2008

While I was vacationing in Maine, one of the ladies who works for me, Lisa, started working on a website for the store. I've been having BIG problems sending out newsletters by email and those will be solved with the new site. She's done a wonderful job - go see for yourself - many photos of the store for those of you who aren't local and can't visit in person. www.whimsycottage.net